Release CIA report: Their Take

August 7, 2014|L.A. Times

Release CIA report

More than a year and a half ago, the Senate Intelligence Committee approved a voluminous report on the CIA's detention and interrogation of suspected terrorists after 9/11. Those who have read the report say it concludes that the agency used brutal and sometimes unauthorized interrogation techniques, misled policymakers and the public, and sought to undermine congressional oversight. It also reportedly rejects the idea that waterboarding and other "enhanced interrogation techniques" (a euphemism for torture) produced information vital to preventing terrorist attacks.

The public has been unable to evaluate the committee's conclusions — or complaints by Republicans and the CIA that the report is flawed — but that was supposed to change this month with the release of a 480-page executive summary and a list of findings. Now, however, Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., the committee chairwoman, is delaying publication of the document "until further notice" while the committee studies "significant redactions" made by the Obama administration.…

On Tuesday, Feinstein said the redactions "eliminate or obscure key facts that support the report's findings and conclusion," and sent a letter to President Obama proposing changes that she said would be necessary if the document were to be released. Obama, who acknowledged last week that "we tortured some folks" and that we "did some things that were contrary to our values," should respond positively.…